Research Update

The time of my stay here in Taiwan has come to a close and looking back on the journey I have found a shift in the methods I approach my research with. I spent the 3 days after my last post conducting my research within the temple. I found there to be a slight language barrier while communicating within the temple and resorted to collecting information, then going back to the hostel and using the generous help of many of the researchers in Taiwan, as well as my own analysis to determine what was going on within the temple.
Through these methods I was able to determine the significance of each action that I observed people performing in the temple. I also learned about each deity, their history, what they are prayed to about, as well as particular do and don'ts of the temple. I also learned about the role of the temple economically on the surrounding area, and concluded that little to no social interaction occurs between locals within the temple, only tourists. These are just a few of the things I learned! More to come in a cohesive manner upon the completion of my paper. I was extremely thankful to all of the help and hospitality I received from Professor Heylen, Fabian, Yvonne (for translating), Professor Wong, and many others who helped me unquestioningly in my research.